Photo by Josh Goleman

Today, Grammy Award-winning trio Nickel Creek–comprised of mandolinist Chris Thile, violinist Sara Watkins and guitarist Sean Watkins–announced their first album in nine years, Celebrants, will release on March 24 via Thirty Tigers. In celebration and conjunction with the album announcement, the revolutionary bluegrass and folk unit shared a new song, “Strangers,” along with a video of a live performance showcasing a tapestry of harmonies, both instrumental and vocal, over one shared mic.

“This song is an exploration of the ostensibly rewarding but often awkward, even excruciating act of catching up with an old friend,” mused Thile about “Strangers. “Can the connection be reforged? Should it be?”

Celebrants marks Nickel Creek’s fifth studio album and sees the reunited trio traverse themes of love, friendship and time over 18 tracks. The poetic and sometimes plain-spoken project looks back upon the bridges built, crossed, burned and built once more and was recorded at Nashville, Tenn.’s RCA Studio A. It’s notable that the album was produced by longtime collaborator Eric Valentine known for his work with Queens of the Stone Age, Grace Potter and Weezer, and features Mike Elizondo on Bass.

“This is a record about embracing the friction inherent in real human connection. We begin the record yearning for and pursuing harmonious connection,” the band shared in a joint statement. “We end the record having realized that truly harmonious connection can only be achieved through the dissonance that we’ve spent our entire adult lives trying to avoid.”

In celebration of the release of the new material Nickel Creek will perform three shows at Nashville’s iconic Ryman Auditorium on April 27-29, all of which are sold out. Additional tour dates in support of the album are expected to be announced soon. See the full list of tour dates below.

Watch Nickel Creek perform their new song “Strangers” below.

Celebrants Tracklist
1. Celebrants
2. Strangers
3. Water Under the Bridge, Part 1
4. The Meadow
5. Thinnest Wall
6. Going Out…
7. Holding Pattern
8. Where the Long Line Leads
9. Goddamned Saint
10. Stone’s Throw
11. Goddamned Saint, Reprise
12. From the Beach
13. To The Airport
14. …Despite the Weather
15. Hollywood Ending
16. New Blood
17. Water Under the Bridge, Part 2
18. Failure Isn’t Forever

Nickel Creek Confirmed Tour Dates
Jan. 27—London, U.K.—Union Chapel* (SOLD OUT)
Jan. 28—London, U.K.—Union Chapel* (SOLD OUT)
Jan. 29—Glasgow, U.K.—City Halls, Celtic Connections* (SOLD OUT)
April 27—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium (SOLD OUT)
April 28—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium (SOLD OUT)
April 29—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium (SOLD OUT)
June 4—Lexington, KY—Railbird Festival (SOLD OUT)
June 15-18—Telluride, CO—Telluride Bluegrass Festival (SOLD OUT)
Sept. 1—London, U.K.—Barbican Centre (on-sale 1/27)
*with Lau Noah